A 77-year-old woman from the U.K. died of injuries she sustained when struck by a spooked zebra, a new coroner's report concluded. Eileen Whale was staying at a holiday center in Kenya last September when the pet zebra collided with her, tossing her in the air. She died in February.

The BBC News cited a coroner's report of gastrointestinal bleeding and pancreatitis brought about by a series of complications following the collision.

At the time of the incident, the zebra was mingling with the crowd when it was spooked. It struck Whale, tossing her in the air. She was treated at an area hospital for 17 days before returning to the U.K. for additional treatment.

The Town Council of Kittery, Maine, is considering adding horses under the umbrella of the town's current dog waste ordinance after complaints about horse manure left in an area park, Seacoastonline.com reported.

It seems riders have been less than diligent after cleaning up after their mounts.

Councilor George Dow questioned whether the change would be enforceable, given the need to witness a violation.

What do you all think about this? Do you clean up after your horses when riding in public areas or along roadways? Do you think it's feasible to do so? What would you do with the waste?

If you haven't seen the video of the Shire and the Shetland pony doing the Pas de Deux, check it out.  

After weeks of news on a female track athlete's gender testing and associated scandal regarding officials' handling of the issue, it's timely to point out improved testing for racehorses is also uncovering a few surprises in the starting gates – including some fillies and mares reclassified as horses after hormone levels revealed that were carrying some extra anatomical baggage.

Earlier this year we covered the case of Arizona Helen, a Standardbred pacing mare reclassified as a horse after a testosterone test and subsequent physical exam.

According to Nicole Kraft, communications director/Hoof Beats executive editor, U.S. Trotting Association, the blood and tissue testing revealed that Arizona Helen had XY chromosomes, "so she was a genetic male who had malformed external genitalia. She is a pseudo-hermaphrodite."

Behavioral clues and the erstwhile mare's physique completed the puzzle (Kraft described Arizona Helen as "built more like an East German female athlete than a belly dancer.")

Now a horse sporting the moniker Martha Maxine can trade stories with Helen. Sign on San Diego reports he's now started four times since being reclassified as a horse after winning 13 races as a female last year.

Martha Maxine has normal female genitalia, but also has testicles inside his abdomen – if not for steroid tests, it's unlikely his status would ever have been known.

As hormone tests continue, I'm sure we'll be hearing more of these stories. In the meantime, can we pick some gender neutral names?  

Being the owner of a gray horse well on his way to white, purple shampoo is a staple of my bathing kit. Another white horse is also due for a spruce-up, but will require a bit more sacrifice than stained hands.

The Alton Barnes white horse of Wiltshire, UK, an image of a horse carved into a hill in 1812, is due for a new layer of chalk before its bicentenary in 2012, BBC News reports.

But it's not as simple as trundling up the hill with some chalk – because the horse is on protected land, a helicopter will be used to deliver the £21,000 supply.

BBC News noted:

"The Alton Barnes horse has a troubled past. The original contractor John Thorne, who was paid to design and create the horse by local farmer Robert Pile, ran off with the money before the carving was completed. Thorne was later hanged for other crimes."

Read more and see a photo.  

Swimming with dolphins? That's so last year. Try riding with dolphins. A Bradenton, Fla., horse owner is offering "horse surfing" for those looking for a different type of aquatic adventure.

Reported on HeraldTribune.com, former polo player and 10-year horse surfer Tim Mattox offers horse rides in the bay. Patrons have the option to ride or stand atop the wading animal and jump off into the waves. He says "surfers" have come from all over, including Europe, since the beach option was first offered in May 2008.

Mattox told HeraldTribune.com he has nine former polo horses in his string. Most seem to enjoy their job, which can include an occasional close encounter with dolphins and manatees.

"You need a horse that is unflappable, a horse that will tolerate surprises," Mattox told the paper. "It's a public beach and if you came down here with a horse that was spooked by a dog or a fishing pole or Jet Skis or that kind of thing, it would not be a happy horse."

Read more and see the photos.

A 14-year-old girl riding in Epping Forest in the UK had a scary encounter yesterday, but might have been saved by her horse's reaction, Horse and Hound reported.

A man approached the girl and pulled her from her horse. The report noted: "It is not known what the man's aim was but the girl was saved by her horse, which reared up then kicked the man with both hind legs, knocking him to the ground." [GOOD BOY! CARROTS!]

She was able to remount and gallop back to the stable.

The burros are a major draw for the half-million tourists that visit the tiny town annually. But the BLM is hoping a reduction in the all-you-can-eat buffet will encourage the critters to return to their natural habitat and a healthier lifestyle in the desert.

"It's a matter of educating the public, but it's not going to happen overnight," said Jerry Love of the Oatman Chamber of Commerce.

The BLM's efforts include asking storeowners to stop providing treats, telling tourists not to feed the animals, and putting up signs with slogans like "Give Burros Care, not Carrots."

Storeowner Jolene Brown said the burros aren't taking kindly to their new weight-loss regimen--some kicked in the door of her shop and chewed on books.

"I'm sure they can learn to forage, but people come from the entire world to feed the burros," Brown told the AP.

Actual headline: "Pantless man accused of harassing neighbor's horse."

The AP reports a Washington man (why is it always Washington?) was jailed last week when his neighbor allegedly saw him sans pants harassing her horse.

Deputies had also been called to the farm the previous evening when she reported an intruder had scared the animal badly enough to cause it to run through its electric and barbed wire fences.

Read the story.